Hi John,

We all know from simple observation that many things oscillate, including the weather. There is very interesting book that won the 2002 Phi Beta Kappa Science Book Award called "A Brain for all Seasons". It has the following quote:

"One of the most shocking realizations of all time has slowly been dawning on us: the earth's climate does great flip-flops every few thousand years, and with breathtaking speed. In just a few years, the climate suddenly cools worldwide. With only half the rainfall, severe dust storms whirl across vast areas. Lightning strikes ignite giant forest fires. For most mammals, including our ancestors, populations crash."

While the point of the book is the effect of those climate flip flops on brain evolution, the book does a good job of explaining what drives the flip flops, from the precession of the earth to rapid sea current changes. Man made changes are only a recent addition to the causes.

Something nice about this book is that the author published the entire text on the internet!

http://williamcalvin.com/BrainForAllSeasons/

Alex


>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7329799.stm
>
>Nice little story about how the data shows the world has been cooling since 1998, and from the BBC and the United Nations of all places....
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>"The World Meteorological Organization's secretary-general, Michel Jarraud, told the BBC it was likely that La Nina would continue into the summer.
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>This would mean global temperatures have not risen since 1998, prompting some to question climate change theory. "
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>Haha, how sad you Global Warming lemmings must feel. The sky is falling - in reverse!<g>
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>Being as we all work with data, it should be readily apparent that we - ALWAYS QUESTION THE DATA! For you Algorians, you might want to push him off a cliff, or put him in a white sports jacket, the one with the wrap around sleeves.
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>It's just too funny that not only are we not causing the earth to overheat, it isn't overheating. Next round of scientists will be the global cooling group seeking what? Yep, funding to combat the global cooling problem, which is caused by taxpayers, er I mean people. I think the scientists need to join Shakespear's lawyers....